Shock absorber



March '18, 1930. F. T. ELLIOTT 1,750,996

SHOCK ABSORBE R Filed June 21, 1928 20222: Faderick Z'Ellialt,

Patented Mar. 18 1930 UNITED STATES FREDERICK T. ELLIOTT, SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS SHOCK ABSORBER Application filed .Tune 21, 1928. Serial No. 287,121.

This invention relates to shock absorbers l for motor cars and has for its object the production of a simple, inexpensive and efficient device of" this character which will be double acting and in which the entire opera-v 1 tion thereof may be controlledv by a single valve.

This object is attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illus trated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged andorganized, and the invention is not'hmlted to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalitiesas herein shown and described except as required by the scopeof the appended claims.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents an elevation of. a shock absorber embodying the principles of the 5 present invention and showing its connection to theaxle of a motor vehicle.

Figure 2 represents an enlarged, vertical section of said shock absorber.

Figure 3 represents a plan of a portion of the same showing the head of the controlling valve and the means for limiting the movement thereof about its axis.

Figure 4 represents an elevation of the controlling valve, and g Figure 5 represents a horizontal section of the same on line 5, 5, on Fig. 4.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawmg.

' In the drawings, 10 isa casing which may be To the outer end of the shaft 15 is secured an arm 16, the outer end of which is connected by means of the link. 17 to the axle 18 of the automobile.

This connection between the shaft 15 and the axle 18 may be of any usual construction.

The upper wall 19 of the casing 10 has a channel 20 extending therethrough, which channel communicates at its opposite ends with the chamber 12 on opposite sides of the oscillating shaft 15. i

This shaft 15 has secured thereto a separating blade 21 which oscillates with the shaft 1 5 with its outer end always in contact with the inner cylindrical wall 13 of the chamber 12, thus forming a divisional wall in said chamber.

At one end of the channel 20 is a plug 22 which may be removed to permit the chamber 12 to be filled with liquid. 7 1

Near the opposite end of the channel 20 is disposed a fixed cylindrical stud 22 having three passages 23, 24, 25 extending therein.

The passage 23 is larger than the passage 24 which in turn is somewhat larger than the passage 25. I Y v v I These passages .24, 25 both communicate with a'vertical duct 26 and the passage25is always open sothat liquid mayfiowin either direction therethrough from or-into the channel 20.

The passage23 has-a ball 27 disposed therein which ball is movable endwise'of said passage, said passage being wider at one end than at its opposite or inletend.

When the ball is in the position indicated in Fig. 5 the liquid may freely flow through the passage 26 in the direction of arrow a,

but when the blade 21 is moving in the di- 7 10 v arrow 1) on said figure.

rotated, to some degree, about its axis; the

, amount of rotation of said sleeve being de- I termined by the lateral pin extending from the head 29 and coming into contact with the pins 31, 32 extending upwardly from the upper wall 19 of the casing. I

The'sleeve 28 is threaded to the upper wall 19 of-the-casing10 as shown; in Fig; 2 in order to prevent its being displaced when the blade 21 is moving inthe direction of i This sleeve28 is provided with a port 33 which is deeper at one end thanjat the other I as shown clearly in Fig. 4, of the drawings.

-' contraclockwise' the inlet to the passage 23 f willbe wholly open but when the sleeve 28 is V \Vhen the sleeve'28 is rotated about its axis 7' moved clockwise'aboutits axis thenarrower 7 portion of'the port 33 will be broughtinto -pa'rt-ially close the same.

alinement with theinlet to said passage and f The sleeve 28is also provlded with another port 34-which' is adaptedto close 'or partially Close the passage 2% y ng the Sleeve 28 about its'axis. I I I I t will be notedthat by rotating the sleeve 28 contraclockwise the ports; 33, 34 may be i "singlevalve mechanism the flow of liquid" I maybe ,regulated in either direction and a: double acting shock'absorber' is provider -takingup the shock when the" body'of the 'brought'into position so that the inlet to thepassage 23' willbe wholly open and the inlet to passage 24 willbe wholly closed.

Itis: also apparent that-when the'sleeve 2 8 is moved about its axis clockwise the ports 33,34. will be moved into-a position in which theinlet to the passage 23; will-be half closed and the inlet to the'passage 24wholly open.

It is obvious, therefore,-that by means of a f vehicle is moving downwardly and' retarcling its movement inthe opposite direction.

, r In this valve mechanism is combined an automatic ch'eck valve",- ,an adjusting valiie and I also a r'elief'valve' and this makes it possible" to attain a more-eflicientfcontrol oft-he flow of liquid, vary the pressure of the liquid and secure'a finer adjustment of the hydraulic action of the shock absorber-relatively 'to'the tension ofthe automobile springs. I Y

This produces greater working efficiency "as the automobile springs. compress and recoil.

By means of the valve mechanism the liquid is permittedto flow freely in one direction but when moving in the opposite direction this liquidis retarded by automatically clos- 1 ing the check valve 23, 27 andhobliging the a I When the automobile springs'com'press the liquid to pass through the adjusting valve passage 24 and relief valve passage '25.

blade 21 will be moved to the left and force I the liquid in vthechamber 12 underpressure I through the channel*2() toward the valve 5 I I I mechanism.

I and therefore turn to :its normal The flow of liquid forces the ball 27 from'its I seat into the larger part of the passage 23 thus permitting the liquid to flow freely through said passage into the opposite side of the chamber 12, this flow being restricted only by the areas ofthe ports 33,34, of the valve mechanism. Y

The areas'of these ports/ 33, 34,? may be varied by moving the sleeve .28 about its axis.

-' When the, automobile springsrec i arm 16; movesthe blade 21 to the right and the liquid forced fromthe. chamber 12', will cause the-ball 27 to be movedto its seat and close the passage 23.. I l o I Consequentlythe' return flow ofthe liquid must be through the adjustingvalve and oreliefpas'sages24, 25 .which have a lesser area ofliquid.

- "The return flow be retarded to a greater or lesser extent byturning the sleeve '28 greatly restrict the returnfio'w 1 v r I and varying-the area ofthe adjusting Valve port 34.1, I I

Consequently the variouselements be:

so adjusted thatthe body of the car will regreeable effects. 1 t The ports 33,34,

wholly uncover the inlets to these passages 23, 24 or partially close the same While the port 33 is disposed in such a manner relatively to the port 34, that the sleeve 28 may be turned to entirelyclose. the inlet to pas-t; sage 24 while the inlet to passage23is wholly" open.

in the, sleeve 23 opposite @the passages 23, 24 are so-Iformed that they position with no, disa Furthermore, the porti33 so constructed that by turning the sleeve to the right-does I not affect the area :of, opening ofpassage23i until the end of the sleeve port 33 reaches it when thesleeve begins to close said inl t t passage 23. Y I

By turning the sleeve to left the inlet to passage 23 is half .closedat once as the area I of the right *hand'fend of this port. 33. is

only one half the depth of the left hand [end thereof.

I Whenthe inlet to-passage as half closed T in this manner there is a greater rt-xsistanc'e to the directli'quid flow whiletheinlet to passage 24 will remainifully open.- Having thus described my invention, I claim': o

1. The combinationof a casing having an inner chamber and a channel communicat- 1 ing at opposite ends therewith ,an' oscillating shaft extending through said casing; a blade movable therewith'with its free end contacting with the inner cylindrical wallaflof saidchamber ,a fixed cylindrical stud extending transversely of said channel with three pas- V sages I therethrough, one of which is always open and: through. all .ofk'which, liquid may flow freely in-onedirectioil; a balliin an-'- other passage to close the inlet thereto when liquid is flowing in a reverse direction; and a rotatable sleeve surrounding said stud having a port therein for partially or wholly closing the third passage.

2. The combination of a casing having an inner chamber and a channel communicating at opposite ends therewith; an oscillating shaft extending through said casing; a blade movable therewith with its free end contacting with the inner cylindrical wall of said chamber; a fixed cylindrical stud extending transversely of said channel with three passages therethrough, one of which is always open and through all of which liquid may flow freely in one direction; a ball in a second passage to close the inlet thereto when liquid is flowing in a reverse direction; and a rotatable sleeve surrounding said stud having two ports therein for partially or wholly closing the second and third passage.

3. The combination of a casing having an inner chamber and a channel communicating at opposite ends therewith; an oscillating shaft extending through said casing; a blade movable therewith with its free end contacting with the inner cylindrical wall of said chamber; a fixed cylindrical stud extending transversely of said channel with three passages therethrough, one of which is always open and through all of which liquid may flow freely in one direction; a ball in a second passage to close the inlet thereto when liquid is flowing in a reverse direction; and a rotatable sleeve surrounding said stud having a port therein for partially or wholly closing the third passage.

4. The combination of a casing having an inner chamber and a channel communlcating ond passage adapted to close the inlet thereto when liquid is flowing in a reverse direction; and a rotatable sleeve surrounding said stud having a port therein for partially closing the second passage.

6. The combination of a casing having an 1 inner chamber and a channel communicating at opposite ends therewith; an oscillating shaft extending through said casing; a blade movable therewith with its free end contacting with the inner cylindrical wall of said chamber; a fixed cylindrical stud extending transversely of said channel with three passages therethrough one of which is always open and through all of which liquid may FREDERICK T. ELLIOTT.

at opposite ends therewith; an oscillating I shaft extending through said casing; a blade movable therewith with its free end contacting with the inner cylindrical wall of said chamber; a fixed cylindrical stud extending transversely of said channel with three passages therethrough, one of which is always open and through all of which liquid may freely flow in one direction; a ball in a second passage to close the inlet thereto when liquid is flowing in a reverse direction; a rotatable sleeve surrounding said stud having two ports therein for partially or wholly closing the second and third passages; and means limiting the rotation of said sleeve.

5. The combination of a casing having an inner chamber and a channel. communicating at opposite ends therewith; an oscillating shaft extending through said casing; a blade movable therewith with its free end contacting with the inner cylindrical wall of said chamber; a fixed cylindrical stud extending transversely of said channel with two passages therethrough, one of which is always open and through both of which liquid may flow freely in one direction; a ball in a sec- 

